Immigration soaring

[Randy McNob]

and this certainty comes from what, an election result?

Talk is cheap. Let's see what they actually do about it. Our government has made it a top priority for the last 13 years and it has resulted in abject failure. If the solutions were simple, even our dismal governments could have made some progress you would think.

probably why the dutch just elected a right wing anti immigration leader, using scaremongering and misleading data on immigration

Thankfully they have PR so he would have to group up with moderates to form a goverment who will no doubt blunt any extreme policiies he may want to unleash on the country, so no Bravermen-esque racists in their parliament

 

[Thunder Bolt]

and this certainty comes from what, an election result?

Talk is cheap. Let's see what they actually do about it. Our government has made it a top priority for the last 13 years and it has resulted in abject failure. If the solutions were simple, even our dismal governments could have made some progress you would think.

Our government has made a lot of noise about it being a top priority, but the reality is the complete opposite. They’ve used it as a distraction from their real doings.

 

[CheeseRolls]

For a quick explanation

The record number of immigrants includes HUGE numbers of students. These are short term, so every year there is an influx and an outflow. Except no one came in the Covid years, so there is currently no corresponding outflow. I really don't know why people coming here to study are classififed as immigrants. They generally have to leave once their studies are completed and they pay through the nose for the benefit.

The other big area is healthcare. Either we have to train more doctors and nurses and pay more for care workers, or accept some of them are going to have to come from elsewhere.

This is a really well written argument. The detail here is fascinating and helps explain the Sunak position on tightening up allowing in family members of students. The central London campus map for universtities recruiting from overseas demonstrates the law of unintended consequences. this was not what the Johnson government intended and the impact far outweighs the small boats.

https://www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/the-deliveroo-visa-scandal

I can't say I agree with everything here, specificaly the argument about accepting low pay carers. The point is valid that long term they may well create more state dependents, but I can't see a bettter solution to the care gap right now. I do understand the student visa position bettter now and think there is a strong case to tighten this up in key areas.

 

[Machiavelli]

It's a long read, and it's about what's going on in Italy, but most of the issues addressed have parallels over here:

The battle for births: how the far right are exploiting Italy’s ‘demographic winter’

Massiola is a village slowly dying, and it’s not the only one. Dwindling populations are affecting the whole of Italy – will this crisis reshape the country’s future?

www.theguardian.com